Make the marinade by mixing the wine and the mustard. Salt and pepper the venison and cover and marinate with mustard mix. Put it in the refrigerator for at least six hours. When ready, remove the meat from marinade.

Heat a skillet with some two tablespoons of butter and one tablespoon of olive oil. Brown the tenderloin over medium-high heat until medium rare, five minutes on each side.

Cover tenderloin with tin foil; it will still be cooking.

Deglaze the pan with chicken stock; reduce by half and add the jam. Cook until the marinade thickens and serve over sliced venison.

This recipe had us at venison and whiskey, but throwing in a hearty and flavorful cream sauce is what really put this recipe on our list.

The benefit of cream-based mushroom sauces is your ability to experiment with different varieties of fungi. One of our personal favorites are crimini mushrooms, which give an extra punch of earthy flavor to any dish.

4. Grilled Bacon-Wrapped Venison Tenderloin

What would this list be without something bacon-wrapped? This recipe has a lot of room for interpretation and adaptation, but we still believe in the tried-and-true method of wrapping it in bacon and throwing that bad boy on the grill.

Marinate the venison in a cup of white wine. Season with your favorite herbs and spices. Wrap the venison in bacon strips and use toothpicks to keep the strips in place. Grill venison tenderloin until medium-rare, a minute on each side. Close grill and cook for additional 30-45 minutes over indirect heat. Internal temperature should read 145-160 F.

Giving your game meat a subtle smokiness and pairing it with a bright, herbaceous sauce is a sure-fire way to impress your fellow deer hunters hunting for venison who have sliced, diced, and served up venison in every way imaginable.

Pull this one out on a cool night and watch as empty plates leave the table.

Mix all the spices together. Coat the tenderloins in the mix. Grill on medium high until medium rare.

To make the chimichurri add the olive oil and red wine into a blender. Squeeze in some lemon and add garlic, quartered onions, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Blend until smooth and then add cilantro and a quarter of the mint. Puree and then keep adding the rest of the mint.

Chocolate and meat? We know, you think we’re crazy, but listen up – this pairing could change your life.

You’ll see a familiar face with the addition of juniper berries, but this dish relies heavily on the rich, velvety red wine jus. This culinary masterpiece is sure to please the most elevated of palates as well as any meat-and-potatoes good ol’ boys.

Leek and Potato Puree: Heat a tablespoon of butter and cook leeks for 10 minutes of until soft. Stir in parsley and salt. Bring potatoes and thyme to boil in a pot of water. Cook until tender–20 minutes. Drain and mash potatoes. Add cream and rest of the butter until creamy. Add leek and parsley and stir.

Maple Juniper Beef Tenderloin: Combine maple syrup, juniper berries, thyme and garlic. Marinate tenderloins in mixture for half an hour. Season with salt and pepper and roast in 450 F oven for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temp. to 2745 F and roast for an hour. Slice and let rest. Internal temperature should be 145 F.

Chocolate Infused Red Wine Jus: Melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium high heat and saute carrots, onion, leeks and bay leaves–until softened and brown. Add wine and simmer until reduced by half. Add beef or venison stock and bring to a simmer for 10 minutes. Strain into a clean saucepan. Whisk in chocolate and rest of butter until smooth.